Fieldtrips & Outreach
At Gunston Hall, the past offers exciting adventures in learning and hands-on discovery. We are proud to offer a variety of experiences for K-12 students. All programs are skills-based and aligned with Virginia Standards of Learning. Bring your students to Gunston Hall to immerse them in George Mason’s ideas, or a Gunston Hall representative can bring his ideas into your classroom.
Field Trips
Grades K-2: Now & Then: A Trip to Gunston Hall (75-90 min.)
The community we live in today is very different from Virginia long ago. Yet events at Gunston Hall over 200 years ago helped form important American ideas that still affect us today. Travel back in time to the home and plantation of George Mason. Your students will compare and contrast past and present by thinking about community, home and family, technology, and school. At the end, have recess (weather permitting) with 18th century children’s games.
Grades 4-6: Step into the 18th Century (90-120 min.)
Examine, Explore, Connect: Step out of your classroom and into 18th c. Virginia to help your 21st c. students meet the challenge of imagining life in colonial and revolutionary Virginia. Invite your students to explore the world of George Mason through an active examination of the spaces, people and activities involved in the Gunston Hall plantation—including his family, enslaved people and other workers.
Grades 9-12: George Mason & the Battle over Rights (120 min.)
George Mason was passionate about preserving individual rights. Your students will be actively engaged as they examine primary sources, debate, and explore. They will discover the influences upon Mason, his perspectives on rights, and the 18th c. limits on who was protected by these rights. And, they will consider their own ideas about human rights.
Other Grades: Please contact Gunston Hall education staff via email (
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) to determine which program is the best fit for your students.
Ready to reserve your tour? Start the reservation process with our online request form.
Still have questions? Call us at 703-550-9220 or email
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Fees for Field Trips
Standard Programs for Groups of 10-89 Students:
$5/student, $7/chaperone
Make it “extraordinary” by adding costumed interpreter, such as a cook, storyteller, or historic character: additional $2/student
Standard Programs for Groups of 90-150 Students:
$7/student, $7/chaperone
Includes additional hands-on activities, as well as a costumed interpreter, such as a cook, storyteller, or historic character.
Standard Programs for Groups of 151-350 Students:
$10/student, $10/chaperone
Includes additional hands-on activities and music, as well as a costumed interpreter, such as a cook, storyteller, or historic character.
Title I schools
Title I school receive complimentary admission for any standard program up to 89 students. Programs for more than 90 students on one day, “extraordinary” experiences, or special programs pay the difference from standard price. For example, a Title I school wishing to have an “extraordinary” experience will be charged $2/student, $7/chaperone.
Ready to reserve your tour? Start the reservation process with our online request form.
Still have questions? Call us at 703-550-9220 or email
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Classroom Outreach
Grades 4-6: Discover George Mason (60-90 min.)
Delve into George Mason’s life and times without leaving your classroom. Docents supply materials to help students discover Mason’s era and his writing of the Virginia Declaration of Rights.
Fee: $40/classroom
Grades 7-12: Mason & Democratic Ideals (45-60 min.)
Invite a Gunston Hall educator into your classroom to lead students in activities about George Mason’s ideas about government and individual rights. Fee: $40/classroom
Ready to book your outreach program? Start the reservation process with our online request form.
Still have questions? Call us at 703-550-9220 or email
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Special Programs
Explore the places in this passport for a history-filled adventure! You will discover that our neighborhood is filled with exciting stories. From the American Revolution to the fight for women’s rights, you will find a lot to investigate. Also, you will be part of Virginia’s American Evolution™ commemoration.
For more information please visit the Passport to History Page.
Colonial Day at Gunston Hall
April 24, 2019 (fully booked), April 25, 2019 (fully booked), & May1, 2019 (fully booked)
Grades 4-6, $10/student, $10/chaperone, 3 hours
Your students will investigate life in the 18th century during this lively, hands-on program. They will consider multiple perspectives as they think about food, clothing, music, writing, and living conditions.
Ready to reserve your Colonial Day experience? Start the reservation process with our online request form.
Still have questions? Call us at 703-550-9220 or email
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Gunston Hall Essay Competition
Fall 2018
Calling all 4th-grade writers for this contest focused on George Mason’s ideas! The winner receives a $75 prize and complimentary registration to the Writers’ Workshop. The winner’s teacher receives a complimentary class field trip or outreach session.
- Connection to the question
- Clarity and organization
- Grammar, punctuation, and spelling
Please submit essays to Gunston Hall by Wednesday, January 9, 2019. All 4th grade students are eligible to participate. You may submit entries by:
Writers’ Workshop
January 26, 2019, Grades 4 & 5, $18/student
Students work with an award-wining published author, participating in hands-on research and developing their skills as writers of fiction and non-fiction.
Just for Educators
Professional development sessions offer teachers opportunities to build content knowledge, discover new classroom activities, and have fun. More information about individual Just for Educators programs is published on our Calendar of Events as they are scheduled.
Education